Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars

Posted: 04/09/07

Real-time strategy is one of those genres that’s enjoyed a rich history in computer gaming -- and perhaps no RTS series has a richer history than Command & Conquer. It’s been 12 years and close to a dozen games and expansions since the original C&C, yet the series is showing no sign of jumping any sharks. The newest addition to EA’s sci-fi extravaganza is Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars, and it compares well to any of its forebears.

What would a Command & Conquer game be without an epic storyline of sci-fi heroes, treacherous villains, alien invasion, and world domination? Don’t answer that. Instead, gaze and be amazed at the return of full-motion video! That’s right, you thought it died with the ‘90s, but C&C 3 features the star-powered mugs of Billy Dee Williams, Tricia Helfer, Josh Holloway and, of course, Joe Kucan, reprising his role as the infamous Kane. All of these actors, and more, are laying on the cheese for your viewing pleasure. And while it sometimes gets a little thick, most of the time the FMV is so bad, it’s good.

Tiberium Wars takes place in 2047, about 16 years from the time the last C&C left off. Since then, the world has been divided into three areas: blue zones are clear of the toxic substance known as Tiberium and are protected by the Global Defense Initiative, or “GDI.” Yellow zones are partially infested with the stuff and controlled largely by the evil Brotherhood of Nod. Red zones are completely covered in Tiberium, and are totally unlivable. At the outset, GDI’s headquarters, the space station Philadelphia, is suddenly struck by a Nod nuke, hurling the world into the Third Tiberium War. Eventually, GDI recovers from the blow, nearly bringing Nod to its knees-- only to be interrupted by the arrival of an alien race known as the Scrin. From there, it’s a desperate, three-way war for the fate of the planet. Yeah, it’s been done a million times, but hey: watching Lando Calrissian bark orders at lowly privates just never gets old.

Like its predecessors, Tiberium Wars follows a pretty straightforward structure. You’ve got your two single-player campaigns, one for each of the two main playable factions: GDI, and Nod, and a “mini-campaign” for the Scrin. Each of the two main campaigns consists of about 15 individual missions, which would be plenty of meat, except these missions tend to fall into one of a few basic categories. You either attack key targets with a large force, defend critical locations with a small force, or build up a base and use it to annihilate the enemy. There are some clever attempts to change it up, but compared to some other RTS games, the missions are pretty standard.

But, hey, let’s be honest: RTS is less about what you do in-mission than how you do it, and C&C 3 provides excellent balance and scads of entertainment across the board. All three factions have their own play styles, units, and unique special abilities. GDI, for example, focuses on slower, stronger units like the Mammoth Tank, while Nod features lots of quickly-produced fodder designed for wave attacks. The Scrin, for their part, emphasize high-tech weapons systems, such as this annihilator tripod. All sides require combined arms to be successful, as every unit has another unit that it’s weak against: infantry get squished by tanks, tanks get perforated by air units, and air units suddenly find gravity when confronted with SAMs.

One thing you’ll notice about C&C 3, especially in multiplayer matches, is the relentless pacing. Micromanagement is minimized in this design as Tiberium Wars rewards those with quick reflexes and dexterous hotkey skills. Also, C&C 3 is structured in a way that de-emphasizes resource management and on-the-fly choices about what units to use. As a result, the same tactical philosophy you used in the very first C&C still works: build a lot of your high-level stuff and rush. As a result, the game may not appeal to fans of slower-paced, management-heavy strategy games like Company of Heroes. On the other hand, it’s a great chance for those of you used to waving around plasma rifles to give the world of real-time strategy a try.

Tiberium Wars comes with a built-in, online matching service that, theoretically, should make it easy to find and play multiplayer games. Unfortunately, it’s plagued by technical issues. This is a real shame since multiplayer C&C 3 is an incredibly satisfying, total package when it works.

To highlight its focus on multiplayer, EA has included the ability to record, re-broadcast, and even commentate on these matches, which, let’s face it, is asking for a lot from players. Is anyone really dying to hear a 16-year-old do his best Chris Berman impression over a GDI tank rush?

Offering slick, fast-paced gameplay, white-knuckle multiplayer, a lengthy single-player experience, and more B-movie cheese than a plate of microwave nachos, there’s a lot to like about Command & Conquer 3. We’re not so sure the full motion video is a great idea and the multiplayer match-making will hopefully be patched soon, but overall, Tiberium Wars is an excellent choice for both vets and rookies of the genre.

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